Deep well drilling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A base structure is provided with a gin pole structure, a mast pivotally mounted in front of and adjacent the gin pole structure, a pipe setback structure mounted in front of and adjacent the mast on the base structure and independent of the mast, and a separate vertical structure forming a guide to enable a drawworks to be moved vertically from the base structure upwardly therethrough to a desired height above the base structure.

United States Patent 1191 Branham et a1.

1451 Mar. 12, 1974 DEEP WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Inventors: Donald R. Branham; Paul E. Borg;-

' Douglas C. Goerner, all of Houston,

Tex.

Pyramid Derrick & Equipment Corp., Houston, Tex.

Filed: Feb. 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 227,185

Assignee:

US. Cl. 173/151, 52/116 Int. Cl. E211: 5/00 Field of Search 173/151; 175/85; 52/111,

1 Reierences'Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1967 Woolslayer 52/1'17 X 3,271,915 9/1966 Woolslayer et a1 52/116 X 2,695,818 11/1954 Rives 182/36 X 3,262,237 7/1966 Jenkins et a1. 52/120 X 3,136,394 6/1964 Woolslayer et a1. 52/1 19 X Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examin erWil1iam F. Pate, 111

[57] ABSTRACT A base structure is provided with a gin pole structure, a mast pivotally mounted in front of and adjacent the gin pole structure, a pipe setback structure mounted in front of and adjacent the mast on the base structure and independent of the mast, and a separate vertical structure forming a guide to enable a drawworks to be moved vertically from the base structure upwardly 'therethrough to a desired height above the base structure.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 l DEEP WELL DRILLING APPARATUS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present invention relates toan alternate form of 5 the invention disclosed in our copending application entitled Deep Well Drilling Apparatus" bearing application Ser. No. 131,630 and filed in the US. Pat. Office on Apr. 6, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ture for transport from drilling location to drilling location. The base structure supports a mast which may be pivotally moved from a reclined to an erected position and thereafter supported by a gin pole carried on the base structure.

A separate pipe setback tower is provided independent of the mast for carrying pipe loads when the pipe is stacked adjacent the mast, and a separate vertical tower is provided for the drawworks, which tower structure forms a guide track to enable the drawworks to be vertically elevated from the base structure to the desired elevation thereabove. A rotary table support extends between the drawworks tower support structure and pipe setback structure and independent of the mast.

As wells are drilled deeper, it is desirable that the mast become longer, yet also provide an arrangement which can be readily transported from drilling location to drilling location.

In addition, the working floor at which the operators work in the mast is elevated a substantial distance above the base support to accommodate auxiliary equipment such as blowout preventors and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART US. Pat. No. 3,228,151 discloses an arrangement for pivotally moving a drawworks into position for engagement with a specially designed mast. The mast is provided with an integral pipe setback arrangement and may also be provided with an integral drawworks support and working floor area, as well as a rotary table support carried in the mast.

In such arrangements, the vibration of the rotary table, the load of the pipe either during drilling operations or when stacked, and vibrations from the drawworks are transmitted to the drilling mast.

' Additionally, in some situations it may be undesirable or impractical to elevate the drawworks by pivoting it from a reclined position to an upright position.

In addition, the arrangement of the pipe setback on the mast as well as supporting the mast to the elevatable drawworks support structure may cause undesirable loading of the mast and requires a specially designed mast.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a well drilling apparatus wherein a base structure is provided with a support for pivotally mounting a mast so that the mast may be moved from a reclined position extending substantially parallel to the base structure to an erected position. The base structure also includes a gin pole structure for aiding in elevating the mast and for supporting the mast in erected position, and drawworks supporting structure including a vertically extending trackway arrangement, and an elevatable drawworks floor unit slidably interfitting in the guide trackway so that the drawworks may be elevated vertically from the base structure to a desired position thereabove. A separate pipe setback tower is mounted on the opposite side of the mast from the drawworks, and a rotary table support extends between and is connected with the pipe setback tower and the drawworks support structure independently of the mast to inhibit imparting undesirable vibration to the mast as well as undesirable loading thereof.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for use in deep well drilling wherein pipe stacked adjacent the mast may be supported on a separate pipe setback tower independently of the mast and which does not require a specially designed mast and a tower providing a vertical guide for raising a drawworks from a base structure to an elevated position thereabove.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a supporting base structure with two vertically extending towers mounted thereon and extending upwardly from the base structure in spaced relation to each other. A gin pole arrangement is also mounted on the base structure and supports a mast between the two vertically extending structures, one of which functions as a pipe support and the other of which functions as a guide trackway for elevating a drawworks from the base structure vertically upwardly therethrough and into position thereon at a predetermined elevation above the drawworks.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention become more readily apparent from a consideration of the drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view illustrating the mast in erected position, the gin pole structure mounted on the base structure and secured to the mast for support thereof with the pipe setback on one side of the mast and the drawworks supporting tower structure on the other side thereof with the drawworks in elevated position on the tower structure;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the base structure with the drawworks supporting structure including the vertical guide trackway and elevatable drawworks floor unit interfitting therein for movement from the base structure to a desired elevation there above; and

FIG. 3 is a partial view diagrammatically illustrating the drawworks floor unit being elevated into position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Attention is first directed to FIG. 1 of the drawings wherein a basestructure is referred to generally by the numeral 5. The base support structure 5 may be of any suitable length such as 35 to 60 feet by way of example only and may be formed of suitable longitudinal and lateral beams in a manner well known to those skilled in the art to provide necessary structural strength. For ease of identification, the base support structure 5 may be referred to as having an end 6 which is the rear end and an end 7 which is the front end.

A gin-pole structure referred to generally by the numeral 8 is mounted on the base structure as is the mast 9, to separate pipe setback tower structure 10, and the drawworks tower supporting structure 11.

When the drilling apparatus of the present invention is to be transported from one drilling location to another, the tower structures 10 and 11 may be dismantled, and the mast 9 lowered to a reclined position by means of a sling line as described in our copending application. When a new drilling location is reached, the base structure 5 may be positioned on location and the mast 9 moved from a reclined to an erected position as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings by means of a line from the drawworks extending over sheave means 8a on the gin pole and to the crown block on the mast and thence to the traveling block with which is connected a sling as described in-our copending application hereinabove referred to. After the mast has been erected, the mast 9 may be secured to the gin pole structure 8 by suitable means such as the support 16 to aid in maintaining the mast 9 in an erected position.

Thereafter, the pipe setback tower 10 may be mounted on the base structure 5.

The pipe setback tower 10 includes at least four legs, two of which, 10a and 10h, are shown, the vertically extending legs 10a and 101) as well as the other legs which are not shown extending vertically from their lower ends which are secured on the base structure upwardly to a desired elevation so that a working floor area as illustrated generally at E7 may be mounted on the upper end thereof. The working floor area 17 is of suitable structural configuration to accommodate stacking of the drill pipe 18 or other tubular members employed during the drilling and completion of the well.

The drawworks support tower structure 11 includes at least four legs which are schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The four legs are therein referred to at lla, 11!), 11c, and 11111. The four legs 11a, 1117, llc, and lld include channel members 11a, 11b, 1 1c. and 11d extending longitudinally of each leg with each of their lower ends secured to thebase support structure 5 and extending vertically upwardly therefrom as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2-of the drawings. The channel members or legs 11a and 11d face each other while the channel members or legs 11b and 110 face each other as illustrated in' FIG. 2 of the drawings to form a vertical guide trackway for receiving an elevatable drawworks floor unit referred to generally at 20. The elevatable drawworks floor unit 20 may be provided with any suitable bracing as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 2 of the drawings and may be provided with a floor unit to provide a working floor in alignment with the floor 17 on the pipe setback. The floor unit is provided with four members 26, 27, 28, and 29, two each on longitudinal braces and 31, for interfitting in chanels Ila, 11b, 11c, and 11d, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of one of the vertically extending guide trackways of the drawworks tower structure 11 and is shown as including suitable sheave means 21 on the upper end thereof so that a line as illustrated at 25 may be connected with the drawworks floor unit 20 and then connected with a suitable power source for elevation of the drawworks floor unit from its position on the base structure 5 vertically upward to a desired elevation thereabove as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

It can be appreciated that sheave means 21 are arranged on each of the vertically extending guide trackways llla, llb, 11c, and 11d so that when a force is exerted on each of the lines 25, the floor unit 20 is raised vertically while maintaining its horizontal relationship to inhibit misalignment thereof and to enable it to move to its final elevated position above the base support structure 5.

The drawworks floorunit 20 would normally be provided with a drawworks 31 before it is elevated to its final position as well as any auxiliary equipment as illustrated at 32 that may be necessary. When it reaches its final elevated position, any suitable means may be provided for securing the drawworks floor unit 20 to the vertically extending guide tracks I la, 11b, 1 1c, and 1 1d to retain it in position.

Thereafter, suitable means represented at 35 may be provided'for supporting the rotary table illustrated at 36. Preferably such means includes spaced beams, one of which is shown at 37 extending from the pipe sup- .port structure 10 to the upper ends of the drawworks It will be noted that the foot 9a of the mast is carried I in a support 9b mounted on the base structure 5 for enabling the mast to be pivoted to its erected position and thereafter secured in such position.

After the drilling operations are completed, the drawworks may be vertically lowered to rest on the support'base, the pipe setback tower 11 may be removed from the base support, and thereafter the mast 9 may be lowered .to a reclined position by employing the drawworks.

It will be noted that the surface 17 of the pipe setback 10 and the drawworks floor unit 20 as well as the structural members, one of which is shown at 37 forming the support for the rotary table, provide an arrangement for receiving suitable decking to provide a working floor area during drilling operations. However, since the structural members 37 which are connected with the upper end of the pipe setback tower l0 and drawworks tower support 11 do not contact the mast and since each of the towers 10 and 11 are independent of the mast, any vibration caused by the drawworks or rotary table during drilling operations is not transmitted to the mast 9 but rather directly to the base structure 5. In addition, when the tubular members as represented at 18 are stacked adjacent the mast, their weight is conveyed directly downwardly to the base support structure 5 rather than through the mast.

Since the drawworks may be vertically elevated from the base structure 5 to the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings by means of the guide tracks illustrated schematically in FIG. 2 of the drawings, it can be ap- "preciated that a minimum area is required for moving 6 made without departing from the spirit of the inven- 2. an elevatable drawworks floor unit slidably intertion. fitting in said guide trackway for movement verti- What is Claimed is: cally from the supporting base structure upp drilling apparatus comprising: wardly to an elevated position in relation to said a? a fpp base vstrucnfrei 5 supporting base structure;

a g"! P smlcture havmg a lower end mounted f. a pipe supporting structure independent of and f l base stfucmre an upper and mounted adjacent said mast on said supporting elevated in relation to said supporting base strucbase Structure; and tum; r l u rt in r ta l c. a mast support mounted on said supporting base 10 g i gg zg sr g f rg i sggg z structure in front of said gin pole structure;

d. a mast pivotally secured in said mast support on said supporting base structure whereby it may be elevated to upright position on said base structure and secured to said gin pole and supporting base structure;

upright position with said rotary table support extending between said drawworks support and said independent pipe supporting structure. 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said rotary table support means extends through said mast. e a drawworks Supporting Structure induding; 3. The invention of claim 1 including means for sel. a vertical guide trackway formed by at least four curing said mast to Said gin P Structure to aid in P vertically extending legs having their lower ends P g Said in upright Position secured to said supporting base structure, with 2 4. The invention of claim 1 including a rotary table their upper ends elevated inr'elation to said supon said support means.

porting base structure; and

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Pater xt No. 3,796,272 Dated March 1974 lnventofls) Donald .R. Branham; Paul E. Borg; Douglas C. Goerner identified patent It is certified that error appears in the aboveshown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as Col. 3, line 3, "to" should be the- Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974,

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR'. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 -ORM PO-1050 (10-69) I I 

1. Deep well drilling apparatus comprising: a. a supporting base structure; b. a gin pole structure having a lower end mounted on said supporting base structure and an upper end elevated in relation to said supporting base structure; c. a mast support mounted on said supporting base structure in front of said gin pole structure; d. a mast pivotally secured in said mast support on said supporting base structure whereby it may be elevated to upright position on said base structure and secured to said gin pole and supporting base structure; e. a drawworks supporting structure including:
 1. a vertical guide trackway formed by at least four vertically extending legs having their lower ends secured to said supporting base structure, with their upper ends elevated in relation to said supporting base structure; and
 2. an elevatable drawworks floor unit slidably interfitting in said guide trackway for movement vertically from the supporting base structure upwardly to an elevated position in relation to said supporting base structure; f. a pipe supporting structure independent of and mounted adjacent said mast on said supporting base structure; and g. a rotary table support for supporting a rotary table independently of said mast when said mast is in its upright position with said rotary table support extending between said drawworks support and said independent pipe supporting structure.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said rotary table support means extends through said mast.
 2. an elevatable drawworks floor unit slidably interfitting in said guide trackway for movement vertically from the supporting base structure upwardly to an elevated position in relation to said supporting base structure; f. a pipe supporting structure independent of and mounted adjacent said mast on said supporting base structure; and g. a rotary table support for supporting a rotary table independently of said mast when said mast is in its upright position with said rotary table support extending between said drawworks support and said independent pipe supporting structure.
 3. The invention of claim 1 including means for securing said maSt to said gin pole structure to aid in supporting said mast in upright position.
 4. The invention of claim 1 including a rotary table on said support means. 